Mark Cavendish confirmed his departure from Team Sky on Thursday after signing
a three-year contract with Belgian team Omega Pharma Quick-Step.

Cavendish, still only 27 but with 23 Tour de France stage victories, has vowed to pass the all-time record of 34 by Eddy Merckx but realised midway through this season that dream was unlikely to happen at Sky . With Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome maturing as world-class riders, Sky’s priorities have changed dramatically and their big aim now is to eventually win all three Grand Tours in one season.

Cavendish went public on the eve of the Tour of Britain last month when he expressed the hope that the split could be amicable and negotiations were duly completed yesterday . The move does not involve Cavendish having to buy his way out of the remaining two years of his Sky contract.

The Belgian team, with no obvious general-classification contender, were always strong favourites to sign Cavendish. Their senior directeur sportif Brian Holm is a close friend of Cavendish and worked with him at HTC-Highroad, the team he rode for prior to joining Sky last year. Members of the HTC sprint train are also in residence at his new team, including Bert ­Grabsch, Peter and Martin Velits and, perhaps most importantly, the world time-trial champion Tony Martin.

The team’s other marquee rider, Tom Boonen, has said that he is happy to concentrate on the classics and act in support in the sprint races if necessary.

“After a year of being part of the successes at Team Sky I’ve decided to leave to join Omega Pharma Quick-Step to pursue different goals,” Cavendish said last night. “It’s been an incredibly fun year riding with friends I’ve grown up with but I’m super excited about riding with old friends and team-mates in one of the most successful and established teams. I believe in the team’s project and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”

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The move benefits all concerned and indicates that Sky’s grand ambition to ride for a GC contender and a top sprinter at the Tour de France was optimistic at best. Exemplary team man that he is, Cavendish should not be carrying water bottles for Wiggins or any other yellow-jersey contender. He is the premier sprinter of his generation, probably of all time, and should be exploiting that talent.

Cavendish was a worthy world road champion, though, for Sky with 14 victories in the season, the best by the wearer of the rainbow jersey since Boonen in 2006. But for two crashes in the Giro d’Italia, neither of which were Cavendish’s fault, he would have won the points jersey at a canter. Ultimately, Cavendish’s priority is to succeed in the Tour de France.

Against the odds and with limited help, he manufactured three superb stage wins on the 2012 Tour but trailed home fourth in the green ­jersey contest, a disappointment that he does not want to repeat.

Both Wiggins and Dave Brailsford paid tribute to Cavendish. Brailsford, the Sky team principal, said: “Mark has been a true champion for Team Sky. It’s been an honour having the rainbow jersey in this team and great to work so closely with a rider I’ve known since he was a junior. The sight of him winning in Paris, with the yellow jersey leading out the world champion – both in Team Sky kit – is something you’ll never forget. We all wish Mark the very best.”

Wiggins wrote: “Sad to see my mate Mr Mark Cavendish leaving Sky, it’s been a pleasure this year and the highlight leading out the man on the Champs Elysees.”